“At no time did any of our players ever cross the white line to intentionally hurt another player,” Vitt told reporters Tuesday during a pre-draft news conference. Vitt, who has been suspended six games for his role in the program, added that he was passionate about “player safety and making this a better league for player safety … I’m serving a six-game suspension for the spoken word, not the clenched fist. I am on board with NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell.”

Coach Sean Payton is receiving a season-long suspension without pay, an unprecedented penalty for a NFL team. General manager Mickey Loomis was banned eight games for his role in the program. The NFL also suspended former Saints defensive coordinator Gregg Williams indefinitely for his creation of the Saints bounty systems and the team was fined $500,000 and docked second-round draft picks this year and in 2013.

“I have not talked to Sean in a week and a half … It’s the longest I’ve gone not talking to Sean in 10 years,” Vitt said. “Sean’s my friend. Sean’s our leader here, and I can’t take Sean Payton’s place … There’s not a player, administrator or anybody in this building that doesn’t talk about Sean and ask about Sean on a daily basis.

“We’ve got to move forward. It is what it is right now, and there’s nothing we can do about it.”